M1903 Springfield Rifle Stock Identification Guide

The "scant" stock came about in late 1941 when the Ordnance wanted to standardize on a pistol-grip stock for all M1903 rifles. There were already many thousands of stock blanks on hand that were sized for the old straight stock. They were not deep enough to get the full pistol grip of the Type C (modified) stock that had been standardized in 1929, so the drawing was modified to allow a "scant" grip to be used. This was the largest grip that could be formed from the old stock blanks. This all occurred before the 1903A3 was standardized, and early "scant" stocks will only fit on a 1903, and will not fit an 03A3. They were made by Springfield in early 1942, and will be marked with a small "s" in the cut-off seat. Scant stocks were made for rebuilds: no "new manufacture" M1903 or 1903A3 rifles ever left the factory in a "scant" stock. There is some question about M1903A4's. 03A4's were supposed to be supplied in the WW II version of the full "C" stock, some may have been provided in scant stocks as-built. AKAIK, Remington did not make the "scant" stocks or the slab-side C stock: those used in 03A4 production were provided from Keystone or American Bowling & Billiard.